Thought I'd share a super simple DIY splash pan for trimming with the Griffin Grip. It's a plastic bin from Home Depot ($10), cut in 2 to just slide under the wheel head with an overlap. On my Shimpo VL Whisper wheel this size fits with just 1/4" to spare on the sides. It would be a better if slightly wider, but this works.
No more flying clay!

Sevaral years ago Home Depot had liners for the cut in half wine barrels. The liners came in deep and shallow sizes, get the shallow one. When you find the liners you can cut them in half as discribed and use tape or other hardware to keep them together at the seams. You get about 1-1/2" clearance on each side. You have lots of room for the trimmings and it is easy to clean out when you remove the Giffin Grip.

Thought I'd share a super simple DIY splash pan for trimming with the Griffin Grip. It's a plastic bin from Home Depot ($10), cut in 2 to just slide under the wheel head with an overlap. On my Shimpo VL Whisper wheel this size fits with just 1/4" to spare on the sides. It would be a better if slightly wider, but this works. No more flying clay!

Considering the interest here in the Griffin Grip, maybe we ought to start a thread on Griffin Grip tools/adaptations? I have made a chalice/goblet stem trimming chuck, using plumbing parts, if anyone is interested in this sort of thing.

I didn't even realize the existence of the Griffin Grip, until I took my second teaching job, where they already had one. My first thought was, "Where has this been all my life?"

I learned to trim, from a fellow student in college, by nudging the piece, on the top of the wheel head. My Dad, who is a former art teacher, with a ceramic emphasis, made me a couple half inch rounded boards, to set the vessels on, so I could tap those to the center, instead of the piece itself.

I do not have a Griffin Grip at my current school, though I'm looking to change that.

I find that students have a difficult time, getting a feel for how to properly center a vessel for trimming, at least with the time we have. The Griffin Grip could remedy that. Of course I would still go over other methods, for reference.

I didn't even realize the existence of the Griffin Grip, until I took my second teaching job, where they already had one. My first thought was, "Where has this been all my life?"

I learned to trim, from a fellow student in college, by nudging the piece, on the top of the wheel head. My Dad, who is a former art teacher, with a ceramic emphasis, made me a couple half inch rounded boards, to set the vessels on, so I could tap those to the center, instead of the piece itself.

I do not have a Griffin Grip at my current school, though I'm looking to change that.

I find that students have a difficult time, getting a feel for how to properly center a vessel for trimming, at least with the time we have. The Griffin Grip could remedy that. Of course I would still go over other methods, for reference.

I always made the students use the tap center method, with chocks to trim their pots. When they had trimmed to where I believed they had a good feel for it I let them use the Griffin Grip to save time.

I didn't even realize the existence of the Griffin Grip, until I took my second teaching job, where they already had one. My first thought was, "Where has this been all my life?"

I learned to trim, from a fellow student in college, by nudging the piece, on the top of the wheel head. My Dad, who is a former art teacher, with a ceramic emphasis, made me a couple half inch rounded boards, to set the vessels on, so I could tap those to the center, instead of the piece itself.

I do not have a Griffin Grip at my current school, though I'm looking to change that.

I find that students have a difficult time, getting a feel for how to properly center a vessel for trimming, at least with the time we have. The Griffin Grip could remedy that. Of course I would still go over other methods, for reference.

I always made the students use the tap center method, with chocks to trim their pots. When they had trimmed to where I believed they had a good feel for it I let them use the Griffin Grip to save time.

I tried a variation of this plan only because it is what I had laying around. Mine has higher side walls. Go to your discount store and get a plastic basket. It helps if you have a dremel tool with a cutoff wheel to cut the basket in half. I traced around the splash pan to get the fit right. Made the cut then sanded the edges.

You can attach some self adhesive velcro to the sides, but it really isn't necessary. If you take care when making your cuts, you can make it slide into the flange like the splash pan. Works great and is easy to empty. No more clay bits scattered everywhere in the studio!

I didn't even realize the existence of the Griffin Grip, until I took my second teaching job, where they already had one. My first thought was, "Where has this been all my life?"

I learned to trim, from a fellow student in college, by nudging the piece, on the top of the wheel head. My Dad, who is a former art teacher, with a ceramic emphasis, made me a couple half inch rounded boards, to set the vessels on, so I could tap those to the center, instead of the piece itself.

I do not have a Griffin Grip at my current school, though I'm looking to change that.

I find that students have a difficult time, getting a feel for how to properly center a vessel for trimming, at least with the time we have. The Griffin Grip could remedy that. Of course I would still go over other methods, for reference.

I always made the students use the tap center method, with chocks to trim their pots. When they had trimmed to where I believed they had a good feel for it I let them use the Griffin Grip to save time.

You tried to teach them a skill?!!!.......Madness!

I told them in the beginning that not everywhere they went (colleges, workshops, etc) would have a Griffin Grip, so they needed to know how to get along without it.

I tried a variation of this plan only because it is what I had laying around. Mine has higher side walls. Go to your discount store and get a plastic basket. It helps if you have a dremel tool with a cutoff wheel to cut the basket in half. I traced around the splash pan to get the fit right. Made the cut then sanded the edges.

You can attach some self adhesive velcro to the sides, but it really isn't necessary. If you take care when making your cuts, you can make it slide into the flange like the splash pan. Works great and is easy to empty. No more clay bits scattered everywhere in the studio!

Each to his own but it's hard for me to believe anyone would go to so much trouble to use something as worthless as a Griffin Grip. I bought one when they first came out and immediately realized that I had wasted my money. Tapping on center is so much faster and easier and anything you can do with a Griffin Grip (or the better designed rip off of it by Bailey) can be done quicker and easier on the wheel head or in a chuck.